Italy today marks national day

Chisinau, 2 June /MOLDPRES/ - The Day of Proclamation of the Italian Republic (1946) is marked today. Italy is a state in southern Europe; it comprises the Italian Peninsula, the islands Sardinia, Sicily, Elba and other smaller islands. Italy borders with France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, Adriatic Sea, Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea.        

Italy is a unitary state, a parliamentary republic. It has an area of 301,338 square km and a temperate climate; due to its continental shape, the country is called lo Stivale (The Boot). With 61 million residents, it is the fifth most populated country of Europe. Italy is a quite developed country and has the third biggest economy of the Eurozone and the eighth in the world in terms of nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Italy plays a leading role in the world military, cultural and diplomatic affairs and is considered a major regional power. It is one of the founding members and one of the leading members of the European Union and is also member of more international institutions.      

During the Renaissance, the Italian culture flourished, producing scholars, artists and persons with much and various knowledge, such as Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo, Michelangelo and Machiavelli. Italian explorers, such as Marco Polo, Columbus and Vespucci, discovered new routes to the Far East and the New World, thus contributing to the epoch of great discoveries for the Europeans.     

Italia became republic following a referendum held on 2 June 1946; since then, this day has been celebrated as Republic Day. It was the first time then that the Italian women had right to vote.   

The diplomatic relations between Moldova and the Italian Republic were established on 21 February 1992.   

According to official statistics, in January-November 2016, the Moldovan exports to this country amounted to 180.8 million dollars and the imports from Italy stood at 258.6 million dollars. Italy is Moldova’s second trade partner of the EU member countries in export and the third one in import.

Data by the State Registration Chamber shows that 1,228 enterprises with Italian capital work in Moldova. The investments in the registered share capital amounted to 1,724 million lei, with Italy ranking second among the countries which invested in Moldova’s registered share capital.  

Among the biggest enterprises with participation of Italian capital there are: the commercial bank Eximbank-Gruppo Veneto Banca, Fashion Group, Calmo International, Piele, Steaua-Reds, Immobildream, etc.

(Reporter N. Roibu, editor L. Alcaza)